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Roller Coasters

Stuff You Missed in History Class

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The History of Roller Coasters

In the 1830s and 40s, a number of centrifugal railways were built in various cities in Europe. A centrifugal railway was basically a downward slope leading into a circular vertical loop with an upward slope on the other side. These do seem pretty similar to roller coasters, especially the ones that specifically described going down this like progressively smaller series of hills. In the 1860s, a coal transport near what's now Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania became an amusement ride.

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